


companionship

by pepsipink



Series: inferno fm [3]
Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: DMC5 SPOILERS, Family, Fluff and Humor, Gen, mentions of nero/kyrie, vergil gets a cat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-29
Updated: 2019-03-29
Packaged: 2019-12-26 02:20:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18273830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pepsipink/pseuds/pepsipink
Summary: with his father being reacquainted into modern society, Nero decides that he shouldn't have be alone.





	companionship

**Author's Note:**

> SHADOW AND GRIFFON (AND NIGHTMARE I GUESS) WERE VERGILS SUBCONSCIOUS LOVE FOR ANIMALS SIRI SEND TWEET

Despite Fall being around the corner, it was still unbearably hot - worse than Hell’s furthest circle - humidity causing his hair to fall flat against his head.

Yet he adjusts his sunglasses - leaning against the wall of the outside of Capulet City’s bus terminal - Nero was supposed to be here 15 minutes ago to meet him, having been in the area to finalize some paperwork with his uncle. Vergil goes back and forth with trying to get over himself and not be angry with his son for  _ never being on time _ , since he knows this is… hereditary, between Dante, and his own mother suffering from  _ chronic lateness to important events _ . But perhaps Nero’s just hit some traffic - also Vergil definitely unknowingly knocked up some poor woman and left Nero an orphan for twenty five years. He was not allowed to be mad.

Nero’s making a conscious effort to treat Vergil as a father, for some… strange reason, perhaps by Dante’s influence, but Vergil has no idea what to do with any of this behavior. It’s  _ very _ intimidating, and Vergil would love nothing more than to run off to another country and not look back.

But then Dante would win, and that would be a travesty.

“Oh hey - sorry I’m late, I’m really not used to the whole numbered streets thing - makes sense in concept, but actually navigating through here is hell.”

“You understand that being late to something that  _ you _ planned does not offer me a very good impression.”

Nero scratches at his head, giving a sheepish smile to his father.

“Gotcha away from Dante for a bit.”

“There is that.”

“I don’t understand why you’re so hellbent on living alone, anyway. I told you, Kyrie and I have space if you’d rather stick around in Fortuna. At least she cooks.”

“A kind offer, but third wheeling with my son isn’t much better of an option than being forced to share a space with my brother.”

Nero decides against arguing with that, and instead motions towards the bus terminal.

“Well, the least I can do is help you furnish your new place, right?” He adjusts the backpack hanging off his shoulder, “Let’s not waste anymore daylight, yeah?”

Vergil doesn’t skip a beat - darting off into the terminal, practically leaving his son in the dust.

This whole… living in the human world…  _ domestic _ … situation, is not something that Vergil particularly  _ wants _ \- or rather, is not sure  _ how _ to want it. He has not really engaged with his humanity since he was a teenager - it’s been twenty years since - what the hell was he supposed to  _ do _ with a human life?

He’s not planning on sticking around, anyway - he has a lot of traveling to do, he was only coerced into getting an apartment because, well, he would rather die than live in Dante’s quarters, really, and being around Nero and his lovely girlfriend wasn’t exactly within his social comfort zone. Both his brother and son insisted that he have somewhere to crash when he wasn’t going from country to country - a space to call his own really  _ was _ his only choice.

It wasn’t anything fancy - just one bedroom, situated in the  _ quieter _ part of Capulet City, across town from Dante, and with easy access to the ferry that can get him into Fortuna.

His apartment was already filled with belongings that he’d ordered out of the pure boredom he’d experienced sitting in the  _ Devil May Cry _ office while waiting for Dante to receive any sort of business - since he was apparently tagging along, now, noting that he enjoyed doing reconnaissance for Dante’s detective work. Really, all he needed was a bed, and some place to stash all of his books, yet a trip to their old home in  _ Red Grave _ had him packing up boxes to ship to their new city.

He thought about trying to salvage their family home, perhaps even remain in his birthplace, but everyone agreed, for someone with as much unresolved trauma as Vergil, he needed to stay away. 

So really, all that was left was to make the place  _ feel  _ like home.

He’s got paintings in mind that he’d like - perhaps some curtains, and a rug. Nothing flashy, nothing that would keep him from moving along with his life. 

So when Nero escorts him down the block from their stop, and they find themselves at a  _ pet shop _ \- his first coherent thought is one of aggravation. He removes his sunglasses from his face, and eyes his son with contempt. If it weren’t for the fact that the bus had already left, he would have just jumped back on it.

“Tell me, Nero - did I miss some achievement on Earth where I can buy a bookshelf from a mutt?”

Nero rubs at the back of his neck, averting his gaze.

“So, I might’ve lied - might’ve gotten a tip that you’re fond of pets.  _ Might’ve _ thought that getting you a cat or somethin’ would make me feel better about you livin’ alone.”

“Ridiculous.”

“Aw, c’mon - I just want you to look at some. It doesn’t have to be a cat! Could be… a bird…”

“Nero.”

“Or both!”

“I brought you into this world - I can just as easily take you out.”

“Don’t be such a hardass! Uncle told me you’d beg you guys’s mom for a cat like,  _ all _ the time.”

Vergil rolls his eyes, exhaling all of the air that could possibly be expelled from his lungs. He knows where all of this is coming from, and he’s ready to explode thinking about how he showed  _ so _ much vulnerability to his son, thanks to the stunt he pulled during the Red Grave incident. He exposed so much in such a short amount of time, and now Nero probably thinks that he’s repressing some incredibly soft emotions and that they just need to be coerced out into the open again.

And  _ sure _ , Nero’s  _ right _ \- but who the hell was he to be digging into his father’s psyche like that?

Whatever. 

Maybe a cat wouldn’t be so bad. He kind of liked them… they were independent, but loving creatures. They were good for keeping one company, perhaps lounging on the sofa with a book in one hand, and scratching at the feline’s ears in the other. 

A companion.

“C’mon - at least humor me, dad.”

He grits his teeth, pushing past his son - through the doors of the shelter. Being met immediately with the stench of cleaning supplies, mixed with pet utilities, wasn’t something that particularly put him in the best state of mind, but Nero’s quick to grab him by the arm, and pull him deeper inside. 

It wasn’t a very large business, being a bit overly crowded, with fish tanks, and rodents all sleeping in piles. He takes note of the paper advertisement, stating that there was an adoption event taking place this afternoon - foster parents bringing in the cats they’ve been housing until they found good homes to be adopted into. The fine print goes into detail about their veterinary services being covered for about a year - in an effort to make the process more affordable for those who were passionate about going home with a furry friend.

They’re both greeted by the sound of meows once they hit the back of the shop, seeing carrying cases stacked upon each other, and gated areas where cats and kittens of all ages looked curiously upon all of the humans that were looking to take them home.

Nero, being true to himself, had already practically melted onto the floor after seeing a set of siblings sleeping with one another, tucked underneath their mother’s paw - with the sign with their names asking that all three be adopted together.

Much too much effort for Vergil, alone, but he’d be lying if he said it didn’t slap him across the face with a  _ very _ powerful emotion. 

He doesn’t know where to start, even. It wasn’t as though he had any sort of preference for a  _ breed _ or what not - and from what he can tell, these cats are all mixed, not that there was anything wrong with  _ that _ \- who was he to judge? He is fond of the small ones, though, perhaps not too young, but a kitten that already had an idea of what it meant to be a  _ cat _ , if that even made sense. 

In fact, why is he giving any serious thought to this anyway? He was just here to look - he had no intention of leaving this place with any type of furry companion. He had too much on his plate already - a cat was out of the question.

He huffs, looking towards his son, who was being bullied by a kitten that was hardly the size of his fist,  _ hellbent _ on getting into the hood of Nero’s coat.

“I’m not sure your lovely partner would be too grateful if you came home with another mouth to feed.”

“Huh, Kyrie? She loves animals - I ain’t going home with one, though. One of the kids we look after is allergic to cats.”

He has to remind himself every now and then that Nero and Kyrie are both practically pure of heart. 

“That’s why we gotta get you one - so the two of us can have an excuse to hang out with it.”

“Oh, I’m sure - visiting my humble abode not to see me, but to see my cat.”

“So you see one you like?”

“No.”

“Uncle wasn’t kidding when he said you were the most stubborn of our bloodline.”

Vergil starts to think that if he rolls his eyes again, he’ll go blind.

He reaches for the kitten in his son’s hood, pulling it out from underneath it’s belly - only to find that it fits snugly in the palm of his hand. 

“Thanks - if you didn’t take her, I would’ve  _ had _ to adopt her.”

A scoff, as he brings the feline to his line of sight. She’s a calico - traces of orange, white, and black decorate her puffy fur. She’s got the biggest ears that he’d ever seen on a kitten, and wide, golden eyes that stare back at the half-demon in curiosity.

“She’s cute, huh.”

“A bit young.” Vergil responds, knees suddenly weak now that she’s started  _ purring _ . “Not the brightest creature if she’s fond of me.”

“Aww - look at those  _ eyes _ !” Nero leans over his father’s shoulder, reaching a finger out to poke the kitten on her nose. “What the hell, dad, she’s like - smitten.”

Vergil is overcome with such a strong emotion he has to hold back from throwing his fist into a wall.

“She… looks as though she could use a companion, I suppose…”

* * *

 

Why Nero was so concerned about his father not living alone was  _ beyond _ him - Vergil’s an adult, with… a not so great track record, but he’s capable of getting himself back onto his own two feet. 

But  _ no _ , it was “at least have  _ something _ that can keep you company, old man,” - as if he didn’t have a home just to store his research, and to  _ sleep _ . And  _ old man _ never failed to piss him off - he’s hardly in his mid-forties. Yet, now he had to worry about having a mouth to feed instead of enjoying his prime - a responsibility that he had to be  _ motivated _ to look after. 

_ Shit _ .

So his son was a bit more witty than he gave him credit for. Vergil knew abandonment issues all to well - but now Nero has someone to take them out on.

And Vergil has a cat.

“Lulu.”

His new partner in crime rolls onto her back, exposing her soft belly to Vergil’s humor. 

“You’ll help me show my smartass son that I’m good at being a father, won’t you?”

He reaches a hand out to pet Lulu, and is met with her sharp claws digging into his palm. They were off to a wonderful start. 

**Author's Note:**

> [tumblr](http://www.pepsipink.tumblr.com) / [twitter](http://www.twitter.com/sodapopcore)


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